Navigation system for determining a route to a destination

ABSTRACT

A pedestrian route navigation system (“PRNS”) in a vehicle capable of determining a route from a final parking position of the vehicle to a predetermined destination, comprising a final parking position unit and a pedestrian route calculation unit. The PRNS may include a display unit capable of outputting data concerning the route to the predetermined destination, and a transmitting/receiving unit capable of transmitting the data to a mobile information unit of the user of the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to European Patent Application SerialNo. 04010565.2 filed May 4, 2004, which application is incorporated intothis application in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a navigation system in a vehicle thatdetermines a route to a predetermined destination and to a method fordetermining the route to a predetermined destination. In particular, theinvention relates to a navigation system that may be utilized when thevehicle cannot be parked in the surrounding area close to thepredetermined destination.

2. Related Art

In conventional navigation systems utilized in vehicles, a currentposition of a vehicle is detected together with other data of theoperating state of the vehicle, and these data are utilized to guide thedriver of the vehicle to a predetermined destination. Often, however, itis not possible to park the vehicle directly at the predetermineddestination. This may be the case when the predetermined destinationlies within a pedestrian area for which vehicular access is restricted.In cities especially, the parking possibilities may be restricted sothat it is nearly impossible to park the vehicle near the predetermineddestination that the user of the vehicle wants to reach. Furthermore, inmany locations such as sport arenas, airports or leisure parks, largeparking grounds exist that are located substantial distances away fromthe predetermined destination itself.

In other situations, a user of a vehicle that has arrived at thepredetermined destination will look for a parking possibility for thevehicle. The final parking position, however, may be situated asubstantial distance away from the actual predetermined destinationitself.

Therefore, a need exists to provide a user of a vehicle with informationsuch that the user may reach the predetermined destination after havingparked the car at a final parking position that is remote from thepredetermined destination.

SUMMARY

A pedestrian route navigation system (“PRNS”) for determining apedestrian route from a final parking position of a vehicle to apredetermined destination is disclosed. The PRNS may include a finalparking position unit, a pedestrian route determination unit, adisabling/enabling unit, and a control unit. The final parking positionunit may be configured to determine that a vehicle has reached the finalparking position at a predetermined destination. The pedestrian routedetermination unit may be configured to determine a pedestrian routefrom the final parking position unit to the predetermined destination.The pedestrian route determination unit also may be configured to outputdata describing the pedestrian route to a display unit or atransmitting/receiving unit.

In an example of operation, the PRNS may perform a process that includesdetermining whether the vehicle has reached a final parking position forthe predetermined destination; determining a route from the finalparking position to the predetermined destination; and outputting datadescribing the route from the final parking position to thepredetermined destination to a display unit or a transmitting/receivingunit. Determining the route from the final parking position to thepredetermined destination may include utilizing roadmap data comprisingpedestrian roadmap data and line tables data. Outputting data concerningthe route from the final parking position to the predetermineddestination may include both enabling and disabling the outputting ofthe data based on determining the complexity of the route from the finalparking position to the predetermined destination.

Other systems, methods and features of the invention will be or willbecome apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of thefollowing figures and detailed description. It is intended that all suchadditional systems, methods, features and advantages be included withinthis description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protectedby the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood with reference to the followingfigures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale,emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of theinvention. In the figures, like reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example implementation of a system forindicating a pedestrian route to the predetermined destination.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example process for informing the user ofthe route to the predetermined destination.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of further detail of the example process of FIG.2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, a pedestrian route navigation system (“PRNS”) 100 foroutputting data describing the route from a final parking position of avehicle to a predetermined destination is shown schematically. The PRNS100 may include a position detection unit 110, a route calculation unit112, a display 114 and/or loudspeakers 116, a final parking positionunit 120, a pedestrian route determination unit 122, a data base 130, adisabling/enabling unit 140, a control unit 142, and atransmitting/receiving unit 150. These units may be in signalcommunication with each other via a bus 152. The data base 130 mayinclude vehicle roadmap data 132, line tables data 136, and pedestrianroadmap data 134.

The position detection unit 110 is a device or module configured todetecting the actual position of the vehicle. The detection of theposition of the vehicle may be based on data received from a satellitesystem such as GPS. Furthermore, the position of the vehicle may bedetected using data of the operating state of the vehicle, i.e.,direction changes, speed, etc. However, any other system for detectingthe actual position of the vehicle may be utilized.

The route calculation unit 112 is a device or module capable ofcalculating the route from the actual position of the vehicle to apredetermined destination based on the actual position of the vehicleand the predetermined destination which is normally input by the driverof the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle may be informed of what routeto take by utilizing a display 114 or by utilizing loudspeakers 116 ofthe PRNS 100. It is appreciated that the above described units arepresent in most navigation systems and their functioning is well-knownto persons skilled in the art.

The final parking position unit 120 is a device or module configured todetermine whether the final parking position has been reached. In knownnavigation systems, a user is informed when the user has reached thefinal destination. The user may be informed orally by a voice indicatingthat the final destination has been reached or by any other similarindications. In detecting whether the final parking position has beenreached, the final parking position unit 120 may also determine whetherthe engine of the vehicle has been turned off. Furthermore, the actualposition of the vehicle may be compared to the geographical position ofthe predetermined destination. As an example, if the final parkingposition unit 120 determines that the final parking position differsfrom the predetermined destination by a certain distance and the engineis turned off, it may then determine that the final parking position hasbeen reached.

The pedestrian route determination unit 122 is a device or moduleconfigured to determine the route from the final parking position to thepredetermined destination. The PRNS 100 may determine a route from thefinal parking position to the predetermined destination that considersthe fastest and shortest route for a pedestrian. Furthermore, the word“pedestrian” does not necessarily mean that the person will walk thewhole distance. Nor is the word limited solely to walking along a route,because a pedestrian route may also include sections of a route forwhich busses, taxis, ferry boats, etc., are utilized.

As an example, the pedestrian route may be determined using digitalroadmap data. These digital roadmap data may be stored in the PRNS 100or may be provided from outside the navigation system using wirelesscommunication systems. In FIG. 1, data base 130 may include roadmapdata, which includes vehicle roadmap data 132 utilized for determiningthe route to the predetermined destination for the vehicle, and mayfurther include pedestrian roadmap data 134 for calculating a pedestrianroute to the predetermined destination. In determining the pedestrianroute, one-way streets and pedestrian areas may be utilized incombination with other roads in order to calculate the route to thepredetermined destination. Thus, the data utilized for calculating aroute for a vehicle differ from the data utilized for calculating aroute for a pedestrian. Additionally, the data base 130 may also includedata 136 containing line tables for shuttle busses, publictransportation, and/or information about locations of entrances in largebuildings or sport arenas, or any other information that may be helpfulfor a pedestrian who desires to reach a certain destination notutilizing his or her own vehicle because the vehicle is parked. It isappreciated that the roadmap data 132, 136, 134 need not be two or morephysically separated data. In the example of an implementation shown,these data are shown as independent devices or modules of the data base130 in order to illustrate that in determining a pedestrian route,roadmap data may be utilized other than the roadmap data utilized onlyfor determining a vehicle route.

In addition, the pedestrian route determination unit 122 may alsoproduce data describing the route from the final parking position to thepredetermined destination. These data may describe any aspect or featureof the route and may include, by way of example, indications of thedirection to the predetermined destination relative to the final parkingposition, e.g., “your destination is situated on your right-hand side.”Additionally, the time it takes to get to the predetermined destinationmay be output, e.g., “the predetermined destination may be reachedwithin two minutes walking distance.” Furthermore, the exact pedestrianroute to the predetermined destination may be output describing thecomplete route to the predetermined destination. In another example ofoperation, additional information concerning the pedestrian route to thepredetermined destination may be output and/or additional informationrelating to the predetermined destination itself may be output. By wayof example, the additional information concerning the pedestrian routemay include the information additional transportation possibilities thatcan be used that for reaching the predetermined destination. Thisinformation could be, for example: “For terminal 4 (destination) pleaseuse shuttle bus no. 6. The bus will stop in front of the main exit ofthe parking garage.” In general, the PRNS 100 may output any additionalinformation that may be utilized by a pedestrian in order to arrive athis destination. This information may include time tables from publictransportation services, etc.

The disabling/enabling unit 140 is a device or module configured to bothdisable and enable the outputting of data describing the route from thefinal parking position to the predetermined destination. As an example,when the final parking position is situated directly next to thepredetermined destination, it may not be desirable to give furtherinformation indicating the route to the predetermined destinationitself. Furthermore, it is possible that the user of the PRNS 100 isfamiliar with the neighborhood of the final parking position, so that heor she does not wish to view the data in order to get from the parkingposition to the predetermined destination. Because of this, the PRNS 100may include an enable or disable button for enabling and/or disablingthe outputting of the data. If the user of the vehicle always wants tobe informed of the route to the predetermined destination, theenabling/disabling button may be employed in such a way that the dataconcerning the route are always output. Additionally, the button may beconfigured in such a way that the output is always disabled, so thatthere are no data output at all.

The control unit 142 is a device or module that may control thefunctioning and operation of the PRNS 100. The transmitting/receivingunit 150 is a device or module that may transmit the data describing theroute from the final parking position to the predetermined destinationto a mobile information unit 160. This mobile information unit 160 maybe a cellular phone or a PDA or any other mobile unit that is able toreceive the data from the PRNS 100 via a transmitting/receiving unit 162and that is able to inform the user of the mobile information unit 160of the received data, e.g., via a display 114.

The control unit 142 may also be configured to calculate a value ofcomplexity for the pedestrian route by assigning complexity values todifferent sections of the route and summing these complexity values. Ifa certain threshold value is exceeded, the output of data is enabled ordisabled.

The final parking position unit 120, the pedestrian determination unit122, the disabling/enabling unit 140, and the control unit 142 may eachbe any type of processor, microprocessor, microcontroller, controller,digital signal processor (“DSP”), application specific integratedcircuit (“ASIC”), or programmable machine, or similar type of deviceand/or module. Moreover, two or more of these units may be combined intoa single device or module. A data base 130 may be any type of storagedevice or module capable of storing roadmap data, which roadmap data maybe data received from a satellite system such as GPS or input to thePRNS 100 on a computer-readable medium (as defined below) by the user ofthe vehicle. A data base 130 may also store software capable ofcontrolling the operation of any of the other devices or modules of thePRNS 100.

In FIG. 2, the different steps for informing the user of the vehicle howto walk to the predetermined destination are shown in more detail. Theprocess begins in step 202. In a first step 204, the predetermineddestination is entered into the navigation system 100, FIG. 1, by usingan input unit (not shown) of the navigation system 100, FIG. 1. Thepredetermined destination could also be received via thetransmitting/receiving unit 150, FIG. 1, receiving data from a webserver or from another communication unit. In step 206, the actualposition of the vehicle may be calculated using the position detectionunit 110 shown in FIG. 1. In step 208, a route for the vehicle from theactual position to the predetermined destination may be calculated andin step 210, the navigation system starts to guide the user of thevehicle by outputting indications what road to take. In decision step212, whether the navigation is completed or not is determined, i.e.,whether the vehicle has reached the predetermined destination. It isappreciated that methods utilized to detect whether the predetermineddestination has been reached are well known to the person skilled in theart. If the vehicle has reached the predetermined destination, decisionstep 214 determines whether the vehicle has reached the final parkingposition. This may be accomplished by detecting whether the engine ofthe vehicle has been turned off. However, any other possibility fordetecting whether the vehicle has reached the final parking position maybe utilized, one possibility being the detection of whether the positionof the vehicle changes or not for a predetermined amount of time in theneighborhood of the final parking position. Another possibility fordetecting the final parking position is the detection of the vehicledoor position, i.e., whether the door has been opened.

For example, it may be detected whether the driver's seat is occupied ornot. If the final parking position has not been reached, the systemreturns to ask whether the final parking position has been reached.Additionally, whether the vehicle stops for a predetermined amount oftime may also be detected. This may be helpful if the PRNS 100 is usedin a taxi, for example, where the engine may not be turned off when aclient departs the vehicle, yet the predetermined destination ahs beenreached.

The implementation of decision step 212 to ask whether the guidanceshould be terminated may be incorporated so as to avoid calculating thepedestrian route from a location that is far away from the predetermineddestination. With this step, for example, calculating a pedestrian routewhen the driver of the vehicle stops at a gas station to take up fuel,may be avoided. In decision step 212, the system may ask whether theactual position of the vehicle is within the surroundings of thepredetermined destination. If the vehicle stops at a position near thepredetermined destination and the engine is turned off, the system maydetermine that the final parking position has been reached in decisionstep 214.

If a determination is made that the final parking position has beenreached, a pedestrian route is calculated in step 216. For calculatingthe pedestrian route, the pedestrian roadmap data 134, FIG. 1, areutilized and a pedestrian route is calculated also considering one-waystreets, pedestrian areas, etc. In step 218, indications concerning theroute to the predetermined destination are output. In this step 218, thedirection of the destination relative to the final parking position, thetime it takes to get there, the pedestrian route to the destination andany additional information relating to the route or to the destinationitself could be output.

In FIG. 3, steps 216 and 218 of FIG. 2 are shown in more detail. Thissubprocess starts in step 302. When the pedestrian route is calculatedin step 304, it is asked in decision step 306 whether the outputting ofindications is enabled or not. The outputting of indications concerningthe pedestrian route to the predetermined destination may depend on thefollowing criteria. The route is output if the predetermined destinationis situated on another road as the detected final parking position, andthe predetermined destination is output when the vehicle parks in alarge parking garage comprising different exits, so that the pedestrianroute from the parking garage to the predetermined destination may behelpful. Furthermore, the output may be enabled when the predetermineddestination can be reached within a certain amount of time, i.e., iswithin walking distance. Furthermore, it may be asked whether thepredetermined destination is situated in a pedestrian area. If theoutput is enabled, the data describing the route may be transmitted tothe transmitting/receiving unit 150, FIG. 1, that transmits the data tothe mobile information unit 160, FIG. 1, in step 308. This mobileinformation unit 160, FIG. 1, may then be used by the user whilewalking. Additionally, the data describing the route may be displayed instep 310 on the navigation system 100, FIG. 1, in the vehicle itself. Itmay be decided that the data describing the route are only displayed inthe vehicle itself as in step 310, or are only transmitted to theinformation unit as shown in step 308, or both steps may be utilized,before the system ends in step 312.

The PRNS 100 helps the user of a navigation system installed in avehicle to get further information regarding the route from the finalparking position to the predetermined destination. Using this additionalinformation, the user can more easily find the predetermineddestination. Especially in crowded areas, such as large cities or inother places where free parking space is rare, the PRNS 100 can help tofind the way from the final parking position to the predetermineddestination.

Persons skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that one ormore processes, sub-processes, or process steps described in connectionwith FIGS. 2 and 3 may be performed by hardware and/or software.Additionally, the PRNS 100 may be implemented completely in softwarethat would be executed within a microprocessor, general purposeprocessor, combination of processors, DSP, and/or ASIC. If a process,sub-process, or process step is performed by software, the software mayreside in software memory located in the PRNS 100. The software insoftware memory may include an ordered listing of executableinstructions for implementing logical functions (i.e., “logic” that maybe implemented either in digital form such as digital circuitry orsource code or in analog form such as analog circuitry or an analogsource such an analog electrical, sound or video signal), mayselectively be embodied in any computer-readable (or signal-bearing)medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system,processor-containing system, or other system that may selectively fetchthe instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a“computer-readable medium” and/or “signal-bearing medium” is any meansthat may contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport theprogram for use by or in connection with the instruction executionsystem, apparatus, or device. The computer readable medium mayselectively be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic,optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus,device, or propagation medium. More specific examples, i.e., “anon-exhaustive list” of the computer-readable media, would include thefollowing: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or morewires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a RAM (electronic), aread-only memory “ROM” (electronic), an erasable programmable read-onlymemory (EPROM or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical),and a portable compact disc read-only memory “CDROM” (optical). Notethat the computer-readable medium may even be paper or another suitablemedium upon which the program is printed, as the program can beelectronically captured, via for instance, optical scanning of the paperor other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in asuitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

It will be understood that the foregoing description of numerousimplementations has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the claimedinventions to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variationsare possible in light of the above description or may be acquired frompracticing the invention. The claims and their equivalents define thescope of the invention.

1. A pedestrian route navigation system (“PRNS”) in a vehicle fordetermining a pedestrian route from a final parked position of thevehicle to a predetermined destination, the navigation systemcomprising: a final parking position unit configured to determine thearrival of the vehicle at the final parked position; a pedestrian routecalculation unit configured to determine the pedestrian route from thefinal parking position to the predetermined destination; a control unitin signal communication with the final parking position unit and thepedestrian route calculation unit, where the control unit is configuredto derive data describing the pedestrian route; and a disabling/enablingunit in signal communication with the control unit, where thedisabling/enabling unit is configured to check at least one criterionrelating to the data describing the pedestrian route other than whetheror not the pedestrian route exists, and configured to enable outputtingof the data describing the pedestrian route when the criterion issatisfied and to disable outputting of the data when the criterion isnot satisfied, where the criterion includes a determination that astructure in which the final parking position is located has more thanone exit.
 2. The PRNS of claim 1, further including a database in signalcommunication with the final parking position unit and the pedestrianroute calculation unit, where the database comprises vehicle roadmapdata and pedestrian roadmap data.
 3. The PRNS of claim 2, where thedatabase further comprises line tables data.
 4. The PRNS of claim 1,further including a display unit in signal communication with thecontrol unit, where the display unit is configured to provide the datadescribing the pedestrian route to a user of the vehicle.
 5. The PRNS ofclaim 4, where the display unit comprises a visual display unit in thevehicle.
 6. The PRNS of claim 4, where the display unit comprises audioloudspeakers in the vehicle.
 7. The PRNS of claim 1, where thedisabling/enabling unit is in signal communication with a switch in thevehicle, the switch having a first position corresponding to disablingthe outputting of the described data and a second position correspondingto enabling the outputting of the described data, where thedisabling/enabling unit is selectively disabled and enabled in responseto manual switching of the switch by the user of the vehicle.
 8. ThePRNS of claim 1, further including a transmitting/receiving unit insignal communication with the control unit, where thetransmitting/receiving unit is for transmitting the data describing thepedestrian route from the control unit to a mobile information unit. 9.The PRNS of claim 8, further including a database comprising roadmapdata in signal communication with the transmitting/receiving unit, wherethe transmitting/receiving unit receives the roadmap data from thedatabase.
 10. The PRNS of claim 1, where the criterion comprises adetermination that a road on which the predetermined destination islocated is different than a road on which the final parking position islocated.
 11. The PRNS of claim 1, where the criterion comprises adetermination that the predetermined destination may be reached bywalking at a predetermined speed within a predetermined amount of time.12. The PRNS of claim 1, where the criterion comprises a determinationthat the predetermined destination is located within a pedestrian area.13. The PRNS of claim 1, where the data describing the pedestrian routefrom the final parking position to the predetermined destinationcomprise an indication of a pedestrian route to the predetermineddestination, an indication of the direction to the predetermineddestination, an indication of the time it takes to arrive at thepredetermined destination, an indication of the distance of the path tothe predetermined destination, an indication of a straight line path tothe predetermined destination, and an indication of characteristics ofthe pedestrian route to the predetermined destination.
 14. A pedestrianroute navigation system (“PRNS”) in a vehicle, comprising: means fordetecting a current position of the vehicle; means for determining aroute from the current position to a predetermined destination; meansfor detecting whether the vehicle has reached a final parking position;means for determining a pedestrian route from the final parking positionto the predetermined destination; means for deriving data describing thepedestrian route from the final parking position to the predetermineddestination; means for outputting the data describing the pedestrianroute to the user; means for determining whether a criterion relating tothe data describing the pedestrian route other than whether or not thepedestrian route exists is satisfied, and enabling or disabling saidmeans for outputting data describing the pedestrian route in response towhether the criterion is satisfied, where the criterion includes adetermination that a structure in which the final parking position islocated has more than one exit.
 15. The PRNS of claim 14, furthercomprising a data base comprising roadmap data, the roadmap datacomprising vehicle roadmap data and pedestrian roadmap data.
 16. ThePRNS of claim 15, where said means for determining the pedestrian routefrom the final parking position to the predetermined destinationdetermines a pedestrian route using the pedestrian roadmap data.
 17. ThePRNS of claim 14, where the data describing the pedestrian route fromthe final parking position to the predetermined destination comprise anindication of a pedestrian route to the predetermined destination, anindication of the direction to the predetermined destination, anindication of the time it takes to arrive at the predetermineddestination, an indication of the distance of the path to thepredetermined destination, an indication of a straight line path to thepredetermined destination, and an indication of characteristics of thepedestrian route to the predetermined destination.
 18. The PRNS of claim14, further comprising a transmitting/receiving unit that transmits thedata describing the pedestrian route from the final parking position tothe predetermined destination to a mobile information unit of the userof the vehicle.
 19. The PRNS of claim 14, where the criterion comprisesa determination that a road on which the predetermined destination islocated is different than a road on which the final parking position islocated.
 20. The PRNS of claim 14, where the criterion comprises adetermination that the predetermined destination may be reached bywalking at a predetermined speed within a predetermined amount of time.21. The PRNS of claim 14, where the criterion comprises a determinationthat the predetermined destination is located within a pedestrian area.